


A Cat's Tale

by HuntressOfWonderland



Category: RWBY
Genre: Alternate Universe - Cats, Aristocats Au, Blake Belladonna - Freeform, Blake has a kitten, Bumbleby - Freeform, Developing Relationship, F/F, Family Drama, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Happy Ending, Heartbreak, House cat blake, Old Victorian fancy neighborhood, Original Character(s), Past Relationship(s), Showcat weiss, Team RWBY - Freeform, White Rose - Freeform, Whiterose, Yang Xiao Long - Freeform, Yang's charm is too strong, alley cat Yang, cat gangs, everyone is cats, heroic Yang, momma Blake, small city/large town, vs.
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-02-17
Updated: 2019-04-15
Packaged: 2019-10-30 00:45:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 20,636
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17818610
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HuntressOfWonderland/pseuds/HuntressOfWonderland
Summary: House cat Blake focuses on providing the best life for her young kit, Shroud, but her past threatens to catch up with her as her curious son ventures too far from home. Luckily a group of alley cats led by the infamous Xiao Long lend a helping paw. Emotions and trouble stir along the way, leading the past and future to clash. Bumbleby. CatsAU.





	1. Chapter 1

            The young hunter crouched in the lush spring grass, his tail level to the ground to balance him in his stance. Moving meticulously through the shade provided by the large oak above him, the predator move through the shadows undetected by his prey. It laid a few lengths ahead of him, glistening in the direct sunlight. He took a deep breath, holding it as his pupils dilated, locked onto his fluffy prey. Pushing off with his spring-loaded hind legs, he released a mighty growl, and pounced with his claws unsheathed and his mouth open, eagerly ready to grasp onto his white prey.

           Just as he was about to land upon it, the white fluff moved swiftly out of his path. He crash landed onto the grass, fumbling as he skidded a good distance before coming to a stop with a huff.

           “You know,” the owner of the white fluff began, “I would appreciate it if you didn’t use my tail as target practice.”

            The young kitten sat up, giving his body a shake to get the bits of grass and dirt off his fur, “Aww Aunty Weiss! That wasn’t fair!” he whined, “How’d you know I was coming?”

            Weiss rolled her eyes and purred, “Well let’s just say you definitely don’t know the definition of stealth.” She wrapped her feather-like tail around her relaxed, lying form. Tucking her front paws underneath her chest, she adjusted her position on her large pillow, trying to soak in and enjoy the warmth provided by the afternoon sunlight.

            The black kitten pouted and approached her before resting in front of her. “What do you mean?” He asked with a tilt of his head. The she-cat examined her nephew with warm blue eyes and reached out to lick from his forehead to between his ears. He tried to shirk out of the way of the rough cleaning but eventually gave up, allowing her to clearing a piece of grass from his head.

            “Perhaps refrain from announcing your attack with loud squeaking,” she suggested amusingly.

            The kit sprung to his feet, “I didn’t squeak! I growled! You have to make your prey scared!” He explained as he got into his crouch again, “See!”

            “Well then you lose your element of surprise.” A new voice meowed. A black long-haired she-cat trotted up from the direction of the mansion behind her. Her amber eyes filled with mirth as she approached the duo before taking a seat on the cushion next to Weiss. “A good hunter is unbeknownst to their prey the whole time until it’s too late. Otherwise they’ll get away, understand?”

            The kit nodded and got back into his stance. The older cat shook her head, “Get your body lower to the ground,” she said, getting up and crouching next to him, demonstrating the perfect stance, “and get your butt out of the air!” Weiss snickered from her basking spot.

            The kit gave his aunt a glare before following the black she-cat’s instructions, attempting to mimic her stance to the best of his small body’s ability. He pressed his underbelly and white closer to the ground, just barely touching the earth bellow and adjusted his hindquarters to the proper height.

            “There you go, that’s a lot better.”

            Weiss sighed, “Blake why are you teaching him this?”

            Before she could respond, the young kitten piped in loudly, “Because I’m going to be the toughest alley cat around!”

            “Shroud,” Blake lightly reprimanded, “please don’t yell so loudly.” She turned her attention on her friend, “If he wants to learn something I’m not going to limit him.”

            Weiss huffed, her tail flicking in annoyance, “There’s no need to learn how to pounce and attack, dear. We have very capable Madams that feed us and provide us safety every day.”

            “Aunty Weiss is right,” Blake sighed as she addressed her kit, “You will never go hungry or be in danger on Madame Madeline’s watch.”

            Shroud looked up at the older cats with curious yellow eyes, “But Grandpa said every cat should learn to hunt and protect themselves! He said he taught you when you were my age, Momma.”

            Blake nodded, “You’re right he did.”

            “Well I certainly don’t know how to do any of that and I turned out just fine. You won’t catch me trying to learn either,” the white Turkish Angora scoffed with a flick of her ear.

            “Oh please Weiss you couldn’t if you tried!” Blake laughed, “You’d be too afraid to get your fur dirty.”

            “I am a purebred show cat with long white fur dear, it would be a nightmare if I got dirty,” Weiss explained as she stretched. She sat up on her comfy cushion, looking elegant and proper in the afternoon sun with her tail curled around her paws, “Not to mention Madame Eliza would have a fit considering how much she spent to have me groomed for next week’s showcase. Or heaven forbid my collar gets muddied up.” Her pure silver collar, complete with diamonds all around it with a single large sapphire in the middle glinted as she gestured towards it.  

            “But what if one day you meet a tough alley cat? And they wanna fight!” Shroud chirped, bouncing on his paws with excitement.

            “Oh please when would I meet one of those degenerates?” his aunt rolled her eyes.

            Blake gave her friend a knowing look, “Weiss…”

            “I know, I know,” she muttered under her breath before giving Shroud a rendition of her answer, “I won’t encounter an alley cat because they live in town; we live here in our nice homes.”

            “Well I’m going to meet one one day! They are so cool!” he exclaimed, his tail lashing in excitement.

            Blake chuckled softly, “How do you know that?”

            “Grandpa and Grandma told me last time they visited about an alley cat in town! They said that he is the biggest and strongest cat around; even stronger than Grandpa!”

            Weiss sighed heavily, her shoulders exaggerating her mood, “I really wish your Grandfather wouldn’t teach you about them…”

            “But I want to meet him! Maybe he can teach me how to be top cat!”

            Blake moved towards her kit. “Darling, you are much too young to be venturing out into town to meet strangers,” she spoke softly as she brushed her tail comfortingly along his small back. “Even I don’t go out of the neighborhood; it’s just not safe. And Madame Madeline wouldn’t appreciate you coming and going all the time and coming back dirty from the streets.”

            “I would be super safe!” Shroud insisted, “If you let Grandpa teach me to defend myself…”

            Blake sighed, “That kind of violence is very unbecoming of a young gentleman like yourself. You want to grow up to be a respectable and charming tom, not a ruffian.”

            “But Grandpa and Grandma live in the woods with their clan and they all know how to bite and claw!”

            “Biting and clawing are skills they have to know because they don’t live with a human, honey,” Blake tried to explain, “They live different lives than us; we are fortunate to not have to worry about when our next meal will be, or where we can sleep , or if we are safe from wild animals or ferals –“

            “Like the White Fang?” Shroud asked with a told of his head.

            At the question, memories washed over Blake. Painful ones. Some she tries to forget every day. “Yes like them. You see, just like there are bad people, there are bad cats too. Not everyone was taught to be nice or kind to everyone they meet like you. Cats who are in the Fang will hurt you if they see you,” She explained as she gave a few motherly licks to the top of his head, noting how he is slowly but surely growing into his ears. Her tongue brushed over his collar, yellow leather that had a small bow-tie that rested on his throat. Madame Madeline thought it would be cute to have the young kitten match his mother who had a lacy black bow tied behind her neck; a touch Blake was very appreciative of, but once outside the confines of the neighborhood the collars that adorn their necks could be a death sentence.  “Once they see that you’re a house cat, they won’t show any mercy. Even if you’re a kit.”

            Shroud paused for a minute, looking like he was trying to wrap his little head around the information. “Why would they do that, Momma?” He inquired as he leaned into his mother’s warm body.

            “Sometimes people do things for blurred reasons, Darling.” She said simply though deep down she knew the real answer. The White Fang was a group of ferals who lived on the outskirt woods. They believed that cats do not belong under the ownership of humans. They despise house cats and will make a point if they ever come across one who strayed too far from home. But their hatred did not stop at house cats; alley cats, rogues, and strays were all unsafe from their wrath. If you didn’t join them, you were their enemy.

            The familiar chime of the bell tower echoing in the distance broke Blake from her thoughts. She physically shook her head to clear her head before looking at the structure, barely visible as the top portion of the clock and roof peeked through the trees and homes in the far distance. Weiss knew that the bells meant it was getting late and soon it would be time to tuck in for the night. “Alright, well I believe I should be getting back to my Madame” Weiss said as she rose from her cushion. She gracefully moved to give a lick to Shroud’s cheek, “Goodnight, mister. Don’t worry your mother and I with your alley cat talk, okay?” She joked lightly, earning a smile and nod from the young kit. She walked around him and nudged her head against Blake’s, “Goodnight, I’ll talk to you in the morning.”

            “Goodnight Weiss, get your beauty sleep,” Blake purred.

Weiss swiped her tail at Blake’s nose, “I’m not a five time winner for nothing,” she bragged before she trotted off towards her home a few yards away. Blake was always so grateful for her friendship with Weiss. Their Mistresses were childhood friends who both happen to be very successful, allowing them both to have the finances to secure two decently sized mansions side by side with a shared backyard secured by a large wall perimeter. Both humans had cat doors installed in the back entrances, allowing the black and white cats to have free roam of each other’s house and the backyard. And as a single parent, Blake could use all the help she could get, even if it was from a prima-donna like Weiss.  

            “Blake! Shroud! Time for dinner my little Darlings!” Madame Madeline called from the porch. A forty year old woman and a famous artist who never had the time for a serious love life, she filled her heart with her cats, career, and her best friend and neighbor Eliza. She tapped her hand on her paint clad jeans in a beckoning motion before heading back inside, knowing that her kitties would obediently follow sooner or later.

            Blake meowed and nudged her kit, “Okay how about we go inside and after dinner, I’ll tell you another story of when I used to live in the woods?”

            Shroud gasped, “Okay! But can I spend a few more minutes practice my pouncing? Please Momma, just a few more minutes?”

            Blake smiled at her son’s pout, “Okay, but only a few more minutes and then you meet me inside, understand?”

            “I got it,” he affirmed, before he bounded off towards the tree once more, nearly tripping a few times over his too-big paws. Blake watched him go, her heart melting at her kit’s insistence. It was a part of his heritage after all; there was no harm in allowing him these kind of indulgences. She turned toward the house and trotted up the stairs before looking back once more at her kit. She saw him and his wiggling rear in the dimming light of dusk. She chuckled and shook her head.

_He’ll learn one day._

            She sighed contently before pushing through the cat door, eager to wind down for the day.

            Shroud pounced on a twig, gnawing at it as if he were killing it. His left ear swiveled as a strange noise he had never heard before broke his ferocious concentration. “What the…” He looked at the large wall - the wall he was told separates the backyard from the woods beyond it - and saw a weird green blob sitting on the top of it. He abandoned the stick and crept closer to the weird stranger.

_Ribbit rib ribbit_

Shroud jumped at the offending noise. He couldn’t remember what this creature was called but he did recall a time that Aunty Weiss was sick and he recalled that she sounded a bit like this green, bug-eyed slime ball.

            “Hey!” he piped up.

            The creature didn’t move.

            “Hey you!”

            Still the creature remained unmoving and seemingly unknowing of the kit’s presence down on the grass below. An idea came Shroud; obviously as a hunter he was too camouflaged and stealthy for this prey. This was the perfect chance to test his new skills!

            Shroud crouched down once more and prowled over the corner of the wall and jumped up onto the marble seat that rested next to a small koi pond (his Momma always told him to be careful by the pond so he moved extra slow). He meticulously inched closer and closer to the wall, eyes intently focused on his ugly prey. Once he was at the very edge of the marble seat and at a perfect pouncing distance, Shroud flexed his haunches, locked his hind legs, and wiggled his rear before exploding up with a mighty leap.

            He sailed up through the air with his paws reaching out, ready to clamp down on the creature. He was about to land upon it but with freakish speed and a strange movement, the green blob hopped out of his path and Shroud’s paw hit the hard surface of the wall, causing him to tumble. The force flipped his body and his small black form disappeared from sight behind the wall. The sky was dark and clouds began to form.

           

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello and thank you for reading! Let me know what you think! This story is inspired by the Aristocats (if you have't seen it then you are a monster and you better go watch it) but it won't follow the same plot. There's some leniency on how the story will go and I am not sure how long it will be but we will see! Expect weekly updates (I'll try my best, I'm a college student). Ships are mainly bumbleby and white rose!  
> Here's what I pictured each person: Blake and Shroud are both black American long-hairs, Weiss is a white Turkish Angora (one majestic cat), Yang is a blonde Maine Coon (she's gonna be a big cat), and Ruby is a rust colored Somali.  
> Follow me on tumblr: huntress-in-wonderland


	2. Chapter 2

            Shroud whimpered as he tried to get back on his paws, still stunned from his tumble from the wall. Sitting up slowly, aches of dull pain tingled throughout his body and he loudly yelped when he placed weight on his front right paw. He jerked it off the ground and licked at it, hoping to ease some of the stinging but abruptly stopped as it ached at the light touch.

            A gust of howling wind blew through the trees and ruffled the kit’s downy fur, eliciting a shiver to run down his spine. Hunching his haunches to fend off the cold, Shroud looked around this new world he landed in. Everything looked and felt different from his backyard. The wind was more forceful, the air colder, the night looked darker. The trees looked scary.

            The menacing woods was enveloped in darkness and shadows played mind games with the young kit. The branches swayed, rustling the leaves. Shadows ran back and forth in the darkness of the woods, catching the Shroud’s eye. His mind wandered, wondering what creatures resided in those woods, what kind of monsters would be lurking around, looking at him in the cover of the foliage, waiting for him to put down his guard. But he shook his head to clear those thoughts. Momma said that monsters don’t exist and that he would always be safe. His blood ran cold when he thought about his mother. Momma was going to be so mad when she found out that he hurt himself and went off the property. Shroud disregarded the apprehension of calling for his mom, he needed to get back.

            The kitten turned toward the wall separating him from his home. It was too tall for him to jump back over and even so, jumping may be out of the question right now with his paw. He limped up to the brick structure and stood on his hind legs, placing his good paw higher up on the wall and started meowing.

           “Momma? Momma, help!”

           The wind stole his cries for help and seemed to howl louder. A drop of rain plopped on the kit’s nose. He shook the droplet off before turning his gaze up to the dark sky. Clouds have accumulated, almost blocking out the usually illuminous light of the full moon. Shroud shook as he thought back once again to the stories his Momma told him and whimpered, hoping that those people who turn into large dogs during full moons are truly make believe.

           A snapping sound caused the fur on the back of his neck to prickle and Shroud reflexively looked over his shoulder. He turned to towards the dark woods and backed into the wall, distancing himself from the unknown. Frantic eyes scanned the wood’s edge, his breath shallow and hitched. Shroud flinched as a crashing of leaves erupted from a high treetop as a crow cawed, flapping its wings powerfully as it flew away. His eyes followed the bird until it was no longer in sight.

           He whimpered and went to call out once more for his mother but as he turned, his eyes caught a glimpse of movement from the wood line. Double taking, Shroud squinted. He could faintly distinguish a pair of glowing yellow eyes hinting eerily from the edge of the woods, illuminated by the pale light that escaped the confines of the heavy clouds above. A gust of wind picked up once more, briefly blowing what looked like branches of a bush in the way of those eyes.

          Shroud perked up and breathed a sigh of relief. He knew only two cats with those eyes that would be on this side of the wall!

         “Grandpa? Grandma?” he squeaked inching towards those yellow orbs, “I fell and hurt my paw, can you help me back home? Do you think Momma will be mad at me?”

         Nothing.

         “…Grandpa?” he asked once more, tiling head and perking his ears to get a better listen. Shroud watched as the eyes seemed to narrow. The wind died for a moment, allowing a low rumble from the bush to reach Shroud’s ears. His ears went flat against his head out of sheer fear. This wasn’t anyone he knew…

         Remembering his Momma’s teachings, Shroud instantly bolted away, his body no longer noticing the pain in his paw as adrenaline took over. He blindly sprinted into the night, trying to get away from the aggressive stranger. He ran as swiftly as his short legs could take him, not caring where he went as long as it was away from the monster in the bush. A growl bellowed from behind him and Shroud could hear thunderous paws following him. Fear stricken, he didn’t even think to look and instead ran faster, pure instincts taking over as he fled.

          He failed to notice the shift of terrain as his paws left the soaking grass and now wetly smacked against the cobblestone of the main road of the neighborhood. A blaring horn broke Shroud out of his panic for half a second. His eyes widened further as a large wheel sped towards. He dodged and weaved, narrowly escaping from underneath the mechanical beast that spluttered and honked, barely avoiding two of the wheels. When his paws met grass again, Shroud chanced a glance behind him, hoping that the loud ruckus frightened his pursuer off. Before he could catch a glimpse of anything, his front paws met nothing and his front dipped down with the rest of his body following suit.

          Free falling, he screamed in shock as his limbs flailed in an effort to latch onto something, but to no avail as he plummeted until his small form crashed into the water below. The chill of night made the river ice cold, stealing the breath from the young kit as he spluttered, trying to keep his head above the moving waters.

          “Momma!” He coughed and cried pleading that his cries would be heard. The rain pounded against the river’s surface and made it more difficult for Shroud to see and breathe.  Shroud felt his energy depleting and the cold waters thrashed him around. Through his struggle to breathe he could barely see the outline of passing trees and a pair of glowing eyes before the water seemed to grab a hold of him and tug him under the surface.

            Shroud could only note how quiet it was under the water… and how dark.

 

* * *

 

 

 

            “Weiss! Weiss!” Blake’s voice echoed loudly in the Weiss’s home’s kitchen as she barged through the cat door.

            “Blake I just saw you ten-“

             “It’s Shroud! Weiss he’s gone and I can’t find him!”

            Weiss gasped and approached her dear friend and brushed a comforting paw against the she-cat’s forelimb, “Blake you have to calm down! Listen to me,” she said slowly but firmly. She understood how serious the situation was but knew that Blake would be no help to herself or her son if she was hyperventilating and not thinking straight, “Are you sure he’s gone? Did you check everywhere in your home? He could be playing hide and seek-”

           “No Weiss I checked everywhere inside, I checked the yard-“

           “When was the last time you saw him?” Weiss interrupted frantically.

           Blake cried as she paced back and forth, “Not even ten minutes ago! He wanted to stay out a little longer. Oh Weiss, I shouldn’t have left him alone! What if he went off the property? The storm is getting worse!”

           “Does your Madame know? She can go look for him.”

           Blake shook her head, her eyes swiftly shifting everywhere, unable to focus on anything, “No, I need to go now! I need to go find my son,” she paused and her figure visibly trembled as emotion racked through her body. “I can’t lose him too Weiss … I just can’t!” Blake whispered, utterly defeated. Memories flashed in her mind and she closed her eyes forcefully, praying they would leave her alone. She couldn’t let that memory affect her right now, not when Shroud needs her. She turned to leave without another word, not thinking about anything except he r son.  

           She was stopped when Weiss stepped in front of her, “Blake just… please, be careful, Madame said it’s supposed be bad out for the next few days. I’ll stay here and keep an eye out for him just in case he comes around.”  Weiss she couldn’t possibly understand the grief and worry of a mother in a situation like this, but knowing that her young nephew was out there missing brought out emotions that overrode all of her doubts about Blake leaving to find him. She herself felt absolutely useless but at least she could offer the support Blake so desperately needed.

           “Thank you so much Weiss,” Blake smiled as best as she could.

           Weiss rubbed her cheek against her friend’s, “Don’t worry, okay? You’ll find him and he’ll be safe and sound.”

           Blake returned the gesture, relishing in the few moments of comfort before she nodded and sprinted out the cat door and into the storm. Weiss watched her panic-stricken friend go and she couldn’t help but feel a sinking feeling in her chest.

           She sighed, “Oh Shroud where are you?”

 

* * *

 

 

            Blake sniffed the air, trying to fight through the overwhelming taste of rain filling the air to get just a hint of her son’s scent. Only a minute in the rain and her black fur was already drenched and flush against her body. A shiver ran down her spine, knowing her kit must be freezing considering how much time he was exposed to the elements. She was past the point of screaming his name, having tried that before running to Weiss. She knew now was the time to rely on her senses, skills that she has not used for months. Opening her mouth, she allowed a rush of air to enter as she swept the yard.

            _Rain. Rain. And more rain… wait-_

            A hint of her Shroud’s scent hit her when she reached the marble bench. She jumped up and sniffed. He was definitely here. She looked around and her worst fear became real as the only place she hadn’t checked was over the wall.

            She jumped over and sniffed the moistening ground.

            “He was here!” she whispered hopefully. She searched the ground and noticed his small paw prints littering the ground. Rain was beginning to puddle up in the little indentations. She followed them eagerly, tracking her son’s movements all the way around to the front of the house. Her blood ran cold when she reached the road.

            _Oh no…_

            She looked both ways before crossing and frantically searched for evidence that Shroud made it to the other side. For a minute, her mind was racing, thinking of endless scenarios that could have happened to him on the road. Thankfully, she managed to decipher Faint but present prints in the earth a few feet away, slightly eased her worries. Blake continued on the trail until her ears pricked up at the sound of rushing water. Blake’s heart dropped, each step she took was slower than the last until she reached the high embankment of the river. She stared at the small skidded claw marks in front of her and then to the rushing water down below.

             Burning tears filled her eyes and her chest clenched painfully, Blake sobbed heart wrenchingly, screaming into the stormy night.  Breathing was a hard feat as she couldn’t catch her breath. Her mind wandered. How could she let this happen? As a mother her sole duty was to love her kit and make sure he was safe. She couldn’t lose him. Not after everything…

            Blake paused in her lament as she her teary eyes spied another paw imprint in front of her. A much bigger paw print. It hit her then and her face turned to rage as she frowned with a growl; she should have known…

            Determined eyes followed the direction of the prints, noting that did not turn back, but hugged the bank, going downstream; like they were following along. Blake wistfully stared off in that direction, taking in the darkness and the rain before she cast her gaze down to the dark running water. A feeling stirred in her bones.

_He’s alive… am I’m going to find him… before they do…_

           She took off in a sprint, heading downstream and with any luck, towards her son.

 

* * *

 

 

            A clap of thunder roused Shroud from his unconsciousness. Before he could have a chance to fully open his eyes, he immediately began to cough hoarsely, freeing the water that had managed to invade his lungs. He heaved and breathed shallowly as he squinted, adjusting to the dawn’s early light that managed to peak from the thick storm clouds above. Rain poured down upon him, reminding him of the events that occurred last night. Flashes of two yellow eyes plagued his mind.

            Tired, cold, and in pain, the kit groaned as he looked around slowly in hopes of seeing his home nearby. Shroud was lying on the muddy bank of the river, the water’s edge mere feet from where he laid. His forepaws and head had been resting on top of the lumber that he had managed to snag his claws onto as the river dragged him downstream. If not for that piece of wood, he may not have made it. Teary yellow eyes stared at the flowing water as a breathy sob escaped from his throat.  It was so cold. Too wet. So unknown. Not home. 

            Mud caked his fur, covering his black coat and making him appear brown. He could only think of how mad his Momma was going to be when she sees how dirty he was; she’d probably make him have a bath. The thought made him shudder; he never wanted to be near water again in his life. Shroud heart ached at the thought of his Mom and he rested his head back upon the wooden plank. He missed his Momma. She would always make sure that he was warm and made him feel better when he was hurt or sick. He would do anything to see her right now, or to just to hear her comforting voice. But he was alone. He squeaked out a cry.

            After a few minutes, Shroud’s sobs turned to watery sniffles. A gust of wind blew, causing the nearby cattails and rushes to whip around and brush together, making a cacophonous rustle to echo along the river bank.  The offending gust ran a shiver up the poor kit’s spin; he had to get up and out of the rain. Momma had always told him that he was not allowed to play outside when it was stormy because he might get sick. With almost pitiful effort and an exhausted grunt, he managed to find the strength to free himself from the sludgy mud’s hold. The water scared him and he needed to distance himself from it. He needed to go home. Once he found moderate stability on his aching paws and tired limbs, he limped away from his late night lifeboat. Luckily this embankment was a fairly low slope so it only took a few slips in the mud to get up and onto the soaking grass that squished beneath his paws.

            Another round of crashing thunder erupted followed by a strike of lightning which light up the sky with a blinding flash. Startled, Shroud ran as fast as his exhausted body could in the direction he was facing. If water was his new greatest fear, lightning and thunder was his second. Momma always soothed him during loud storms like this, curling around him and telling him stories to help him take his mind off the loud and scary noises that would rumble throughout the house and the untimely flashes that would look like jagged claws reaching out from the sky. He felt safe and sound in her presence and sleep would come eventually even in the loudest of storms. Here, alone and sleepless, Shroud was certain that the thunderous growls of the monster in the sky would use those jagged claws and snatch him away.

           Another crack of thunder fueled the kit’s desire to run and get to safety. Confused and scared, he ran and ran, the ground mushy at his paws. In the distance, Shroud could see clusters of homes and large buildings. Maybe he was near home!

          He eventually came upon a dirt road that led into the town. The road turned to asphalt which was covered in puddles from the heavy rains. Shroud slowed to a limping trot as buildings of many shapes and sizes surrounded him as he continued on his mission. Everything was so big, so different. The kit paused in his stride as he saw a human coming towards his direction. Though Momma told him not to approach strange humans, Shroud thought that the human might help him home. He remembered Momma telling him that his collar let humans know that he was a housecat and it told them where he lived. Maybe this person knew!

          He padded towards him, noting the black upside-down bowl on a stick he held above his head and held in his hand. Humans were weird.

          Shroud croaked a meow from his tender throat and went to brush against the human as he approached, knowing how much his Madame Madeline loved how he’d be affectionate towards her; however, the man was not as pleased.

            “Scram! Go on get, you mangy cat!”

            Shroud flinched at the feigned kick that the human tried to scare him off with. The human kept on moving, mumbling into his jacket something about “…those damn strays…”. Why would the human do that? Did he do something wrong? The kitten had never experienced such a mean person.

            He ran off from the sidewalk into an alley in between two buildings. Shroud ventured cautiously, noting a few large metal containers, pipes, and a trash can littered the space, the strong smell of garbage causing Shroud to crinkle his nose. A cluster of ivy grew tangled along the brick walls of one of the buildings. Much to Shroud’s relief, the buildings and the tall wooden fence on the far end of the alley prevented the blustering winds from reaching the kit. His ear twitched as he could hear each gust blow past the mouth of the alley, echoing in the large space.

            Shroud shivered and trotted up to a pile of cardboard boxes. The top scraps were soaked by the rain but one perfect box laid protected underneath them all, resting on its side so that the opening faced the opposite wall of the alley. Figuring it was the closest thing to his bed at home, Shroud heaved a sigh and laid down in the box. Leaning against the side of the box, he closed his heavy eyes, pretending he was snuggled into his mother’s side and drifted off into sleep.

 

* * *

 

 

            The sky was dark when Shroud was awoken once more by a crack of thunder. It was still pouring rain and some drips of water had begun to drip into his makeshift shelter. Before he could think about returning to sleep, a loud shuffle pervaded the stormy air, causing his ears to prick up at attention. The shuffling became progressively more audible, the sound of someone sniffing distinct over the pounding of the rain. His mud-caked fur standing on end and ears back in fright, he scooted slowly to the back corner of the box and scrunched up, making himself as small as possible. He closed his eyes, not wanting to see whatever may come into his view.

            “Shroud? Shroud!”

            His eyes jerked open and his ears flew up, he knew that voice! “Momma?” He jumped to his paws and ran out of the box. He stood at the entrance of the box and waited, thinking he was hallucinating as he watched his mother appeared in the opening of the alley. She took one look at him, frozen in shock for a moment before she ran towards him. Shroud met her halfway, launching himself at her form, “Momma!”

           Though drenched to the bone from the rain and paws covered in mud, his mother still radiated that feeling he missed so much.

            “Oh goodness, Shroud my darling! I searched everywhere… I was so worried! ” Blake sobbed in relief and absolute joy as she lapped at his face with rushed licks, both expressing her emotions and trying to clean the grime from his muzzle and eyes. Lost in his mother’s embrace,  Shroud couldn’t bring himself to say anything and only silently cried, his body shaking with emotion. Blake used one paw to pull her kit into her form and nuzzled her head into the kit’s shaking body. She smiled into his fur; so thankful that he was safe.

            After a few minutes of crying into each other, Shroud looked up at his mother, hoping that it wasn’t a figment of his imagination. He lifted his injured paw and whimpered, “Momma I’m sorry…”

            Blake shook her head, lightly licking his paw, “No darling you didn’t do anything wrong honey. I am just so glad I found you!” She noticed how he winced as she checked his paw, “What happened?”

            “I fell off the wall and I tried to call for help but then a monster from the woods chased me away and I slipped into the water! I held onto a stick and I ran to a human for help but he was a meani-”

            Blake listened intently, trying to piece everything together but the monster part intrigued her, “Wait, wait a monster?” she asked with a tilt of her head. That must be the owner of the paw prints on the river bank that she followed. Wondering if she can determine who was responsible for this, she asked softly, “What did this monster look like, darling?”

            “I would hardly call myself a monster” a voice echoed in the alley, causing the two black cats to jump, “But I guess we all have our own opinions.” Blake whipped around, sticking her son behind her in a protective manner. The fur on her back rose and her ears pinned against her head as she recognized the brown tabby at the entrance of the alley. The male tabby chuckled, “What’s wrong Blake? Cat’s got your tongue?”

            “What are you doing here Fennec?” Blake growled, her tail lashing behind her.

            Fennec grinned, his teeth glinting in the dark, “I believe you know what I’m here for.” His eyes shifted to the shaking kit behind the she-cat, enjoying the way the little guy shrunk further into himself as he met his eyes. The eye contact was broken when Blake moved her head obstructing Fennec’s view, hiding Shroud away from his monster.

            “Now, now let’s not be too hostile. Adam would not be pleased if I returned you a bit roughed up.”

            “We are not going anywhere,” Blake hissed, a growl building in her throat.

            “I was afraid you might say that. You still have that rebellious streak in you I see. It will be entertaining to watch that slip away once I get you back to the Fang,” Fennec sneered as he stepped forward slowly. Blake’s eyes widened, knowing that she was in no condition to brawl with the tom. She had spent all night in the rain, running and running. She was surprised she was standing. A whimper from Shroud broke her out of her fearful thoughts, reminding her that she had a reason to fight with all she had. She crouched, her eyes trained on the approaching tom, ready for the oncoming attack.

            Blake watched as Fennec leaped at her with a growl, his claws reaching out to latch onto her. She tensed her weakened muscles, lifting a paw to strike at him; however, midair, Fennec’s body was derailed from his trajectory by a pale yellow mass. Blake heard a surprised and pained yowl escape from Fennec as he was slammed into the hard, wet ground. It was hard to see what was happening but the sound of growls, tussling, and bodies hitting the floor that rose over the pounding rain painted a violent picture. Lightning flashed, illuminating the dark alley, showing split seconds of the action as teeth and claws lashed out and streaks of brown and blonde blurred together.

             As the growls and bellows were joined by crashes of metal falling, thuds of knocked over boxes, and the riffling of random items, Blake used her maw to grab Shroud’s scruff and snuck a bit further into the alley. She found a dumpster that she could barely squeeze under, hoping that neither of the large bodies of the squabbling cats would be unable to reach her and her kit. As Blake wrapped around her son, trying her very best to shield him from the outside world, she watched the scrap from her hiding spot. Moments later the yowls died down to low growls.

             A large light tan cat stood with its back towards her, its fluffy tail high in the air and swinging to and fro. The newcomers stood tall and a solid, ears high in confidence. Blake sniffed the air, not recognize this new scent. She turned her gaze to Fennec who looked roughed up. He favored his two right paws, his stance wide as his back left leg trembled under his weight. The fang member’s right eye was tightly closed as a stream of blood coated the area.

            “This is none of your business Xiao Long!” he seethed through clenched teeth, his breath ragged from his exerted energy, “You don’t know what you’re dealing with!”

            The Maine Coon remained unfazed by Fennec’s decree, “I know exactly who I’m dealing with; a coward.” The large cat’s voice was as strong as its stance, unwavering and stern. Xiao Long motioned with a flick of its head, “You’re trespassing on my turf. If you wanna keep your tail I suggest you leave now.”

            “I’m not leaving without what I came for!” Fennec insisted almost manically, “What are you trying to be so heroic for? You have no reason to be meddling!” The brown tabby snorted in rage before a smirk adorned his lips, “Oh wait, knowing you, you probably just want that bitch for yourself!”

            From underneath the dumpster, Blake’s haunches bunched at the statement. Toms were all alike…

            “No Queen or kit is to be harmed on my turf; I like to think I make my rules pretty clear every time I find one of you shady assholes lurking around and I kick your tails back to the woods where you belong.”

            Fennec ignored the other cat, “You don’t want that one, Xiao Long. Adam is _very_ attached.”  

            “I don’t give a damn. You tell Adam that if I find one more of his little posse in this town, he’ll be down a member. Understand?”  
            Fennec’s good eye squinted. He knew he was no match for this opponent, “Mark my words, this is a big mistake. I hope you can handle the consequences.” The tan Maine coon sprung forward at the threat, scaring the White Fang member into turning tail and running with a limp out of the alley. The stranger huffed a breath and watched him leave. A crack of thunder rumbled across the sky.

            Blake scooted her body to the wall, putting as much distance between her and her son from the stranger. Now that Fennec was gone, surely the attention would be shifted to them. She cast a glance at Shroud, whose face was buried into the fur of her side. He shook hard but she couldn’t tell if it was because of the cold or fear.

            She tensed at the sound of paws padding over, splashing when they hit a puddle before stopping in front of her hiding spot. Blake was thankful for her quick thinking because there was no way this massive cat could fit. She could only see large paws before the Maine coon laid down to peer under the dumpster. In the low lighting, a pair of lilac eyes shone and met her wide amber orbs. For just a moment, Blake was mystified, never seeing an eye color like that before, never seeing such kindness reflect in a stranger’s eyes; but her guard erected once more. She couldn’t afford any distraction right now. Blake watched as those eyes flick over her, assessing.

           “Hey, I’m sorry you had to see that. Are you and your kit okay?” To Blake’s surprise and confusion, the voice that met her ears was missing the sternness and lowness that it had before. It sounded strangely…feminine for a tom. Wait… this was a she-cat?

           "It’s okay. I’m not going to hurt you, you can come on out. You’re safe with me.”

            Blake remained unmoving, apprehensive to trust this random cat. Sure she did save her and Shroud from the White Fang’s clutches, but from what she saw and what Fennec had said, this cat was no laughing matter. She could easily overpower her and do whatever she pleased. Blake chose to remain quiet, only glaring at the stranger with hard eyes and her ears back in defense.

            The tan cat seemed to get antsy as she shifted on her paws. The rain seemed to be pelting down harder. “Listen, I know you don’t know me and you’re in mama bear mode, but I wanna help. I have a nice safe place with food and water. You and the kid need to get out of the rain. It’s gonna get a lot worse. ”

            Blake’s glare wavered as she considered the cat’s offer. Should she risk going with the strange cat? Various heinous scenarios came to her mind but then she considered what would happen if she remained stubborn and kept her son out in this storm. He wouldn’t make it… she was surprised enough that he was conscious right now. If anything were to happen it would be her fault. It was all her fault already. She couldn’t live with herself if anything happens to Shroud after all of this.

           “Please,” a soft insisting voice interrupted her rampant thoughts, “I can’t leave you out here. I need you to trust me.”

            Blake took a moment before making a decision. She slowly inched forward, waiting for the large cat to back away and give her space. Watching the stranger carefully, the black she-cat fully emerged from beneath the dumpster. To show that she meant no ill will, the tan cat nodded her head in greeting and gave her a friendly expression. Blake looked up into those lilac orbs, searching for any sign of malice but she was only met with sincerity and hope and something else that she couldn’t exactly pinpoint.

           “Don’t make me regret this… please,” the mother tiredly mumbled. The Maine coon nodded, not wanting to scare her off. Blake sighed heavily before she turned her back to the stranger and reached under the dumpster and pulled Shroud’s barely awake form from their hiding spot. She gently but firmly held him in her mouth, and approached their hero, ready to follow her to a safe haven.

           “Alright follow me and keep close.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello and thank you for reading the new chapter! We finally see a glimpse of Yang and now the story begins to pick up. I'm sorry there was a lot of description and a lack of dialogue and I'm not too great at description but I wanted the vision to be as accurately read as possible and some things needed to be ironed out for the story to progress. I hope you stick around for the next chapters for now the heart of the story begins (literally the heart,.. wink wink)


	3. Chapter 3

“This is the place.” The remark made Blake sigh in relief. She had followed the blonde cat up and over a few blocks and over a small bridge, both keeping up a brisk pace in hopes of getting out of the pelting rain quicker. As they traveled through the town, Blake noticed that the buildings and homes were growing in distance a part from each other, an abundance of land, gardens, and trees replacing the streetlights, alleyways, and street signs.

Blake analyzed the home the other cat had gestured towards. From what she could make out through the cloak of darkness and the constant downpour of rain, the house itself was decrepit. It was a fairly large house, but clearly it hadn’t been inhabited for many years. Singles on the roof were missing and fraying off, hanging and swaying in the wind. A few of the windows were broken, cracked and shattered and the window frames were practically rotted through. But at least the front door looked intact.

“Around this way,” she was instructed. They weren’t going to use the front door? The Maine coon led her around the side of the house to the back which faced a large field with what looked like a barn in the distance. The yard was greatly overgrown by unchecked vegetation. They would have had to weave through the long grass if they had not followed a worn down path. A flash of lightning showed the line of enormous rose bushes that nestled against the perimeter of the creaking building, their long thorny tendrils weaving through busted windows and covering the downtrodden porch. The back porch had long since collapsed in on itself, pieces of wood out awkwardly here with nails jutting out from pieces lumber. Free growing vines snaked along the home’s walls, tangling with the debris while a few of the looser, free strands whipped in the fierce wind, eliciting frightening bangs and cracks to permeate the air.

They approached the wreckage of lumber and overgrowth, stopping at a long wooden plank that acted as a ramp up to the dark opening of an open window.  Blake paused and watched the other cat begin to trot up the ramp, feeling uncertainty well within her chest. Here she was outside this old run down house that made staying out in the rain look more and more tempting and being led by a stranger she barely even knew. She adjusted her light grip on her son’s scruff, her jaw aching from his weight. Shroud had succumbed to his exhaustion and fell into a deep sleep, his limp form unbothered by the cold rain or the loud orchestra of the storm.  Blake didn’t mind in the slightest; Shroud had fought so hard the past day and he deserved to rest. He deserved everything that she herself couldn’t provide right now. He deserved better…

“Hey, come on,” a calm reassuring voice snapped Blake out of her thoughts. She looked up and saw the larger cat halfway up the plank ramp, her body hunched low to fit under a few beams of splintered wood and winding thorny branches. Gleaming amethysts peered back at her, looking out of place in such a scene of wreckage. “Let’s get you two inside, just watch your head.”

Blake pushed her doubts away. She needed to get to shelter and if this cat can give her that, then who is she to judge what kind of safety she was offered? With a nod, the black she-cat approached the base of the plank, giving a hum in thanks as her rescuer lifted a draping vine out of her way with a lift of her tail.  Once they reached the windowsill, the blonde cat jumped down onto a sofa that rested underneath the window and looked back, making sure the mother safely dropped down with her kit. Blake meticulously planned her drop so not to jostle Shroud too much and landed on the soft cushions below. She wanted to relish in the relief her paws felt after spending hours upon hours on hard cold pavement and moist muddy grass but her senses instantly heightened, scanning the new environment for dangers.

It was very dark inside the home, only the occasional crack of lightening illuminating the interior for brief moments, casting their shadows along the floor. She could make out only a few things such as a couple pieces of furniture, an old carpet, a rundown piano, and a phonograph that resided in the corner. Blake’s nose twitched and alarms went off in her head. The overwhelming scent of multiple cats pervaded the air, choking her and reigniting her worry. Had she just walked into a trap? She scanned the room, her ears swiveling around, listening for any precursor of an ambush. Her heart pounded painfully in her chest as she remained frozen in place, claws unsheathed and piercing the fabric of the sofa.

The blonde cat jumped down to the carpeted floor with a light thud and shook out her soaking fur, sending droplets flying through the air around her. Turning to her guest, she noted her scared stance and spoke a hushed tone, “It’s okay you’re safe here. Come on, you guys can crash in my room.”

Blake watched the Maine coon pad further into the room and out of fear of being left alone, she hopped down to the floor and followed after her, lowering her body l to the floor with her ears back in fear of the unknown. They ventured out of the living room and into what looked like used to be a nice foyer that the front door led into. Opposite of the oak door was a staircase that had definitely seen some better days, some steps were concave while others were lifting out of their foundations, exposing rusted nails. Without hesitation, the large cat bounded up the first couple of steps, eliciting creaks and groans in complaint as her weight settled on each one. She looked back, gesturing with her head for the black she-cat to do the same. Blake slowly ascended the stairs, one at a time, each step taken with care, scared that her exhausted state might cause her to misstep and trip. Her rescuer was patient, always a few steps ahead to give her space and also watching her in case she needed assistance.

Blake reached the top step with a huff, her muscles shaking in protest, tired from the past day of non-stop travel and emotional distress. The added weight of her son still dangling safely in her grasp didn’t exactly help with her state but there was no way she would complain. Knowing that she would soon be resting her aching body and getting her son warm and comfortable fueled her will to continue on. The stranger gave her an encouraging purr and led her further into the house until she stopped at a slightly ajar door and nudged her body against it, creaking the door open further and disappeared into the room.

When Blake entered, she was surprised by the state of the room. The windows were all intact, the sharp sound of the rain tapping against the glass, the droplets streaking down the surface as if each were in a race to the bottom. The room was adorned with a few pieces of furniture but the most eye-catching piece was the giant bed that took up a great amount of space. It looked close to the size of her Madame’s bed at home. The bed was covered in a dark violet comforter with a few different blankets scattered about it. Looking so inviting, the bed almost lured Blake in with the warmth and comfort that it promised. Thankfully, the air did not have the same coldness that drafted throughout the rest of the house and Blake could detect a light scent of dew mingled with a summer breeze which she could only assume belonged to the stranger, seeing as it was her room. It was refreshing.

The Maine coon turned to her, “Welcome to my humble abode,” she meowed lightly, “Here let’s get you both set up.” She padded over to the bed and effortlessly jumped up. Blake maneuvered to the side of the bed and crouched, priming and timing her jump carefully before launching herself up. The bed was cloud-like and Blake thought she heard an angel’s choir ringing in her ears. She could have fell asleep on her feet right then and there if she weren’t still on edge. She watched as the blonde cat bunched a few of the blankets up toward the pillows at the head of the bed. Once she deemed it worthy of her two guests she stepped back, giving the anxious mother some space to lay down.

Blake looked at her for a few moments. This absolute stranger had shown up out of the blue and not only defended them from harm but offered her and her son a place to stay. There had to be a catch. Why would some alley cat care at all for strangers? However, slowly but surely, her mind shut down. The exhaustion and strain that has been ransacking her body has reached its refractory period. At least now Shroud would be safe and warm.  She placed her sleeping son in the middle of the blanket pile and laid down, curling her body and tail around him, blanketing him in motherly warmth, comfort, and protection. She pressed her nose into his fur, nuzzling him as she felt the rise and fall of his chest.

Blake flinched as she felt the bed dip near her and whipped her head towards the stranger, who she nearly forgot about for a brief moment. Angry hard eyes softened and the low growl that built from her throat ceased as she saw the bigger cat with a spare blanket in her mouth, paused mid lean. Those lilac eyes reflected no malice as she glanced down at the blanket in her maw and then back to the anxious mother. Taking the lack of growling and swipes as permission to proceed, the blonde cat slowly leaned down and draped the blanket over the laying pair. Blake was mildly baffled but allowed the gesture, watching the stranger carefully as she used her large paws to gently tuck blankets around them, giving an accomplished nod when she deemed it perfect for her guests.

“There you go, all snug,” she spoke in a hushed tone, mindful of the slumbering kit, “You two get as much sleep as you need. I’ll be in the room next door on the right so if you need anything at all just let me know. When you’re both up I’ll get you something to eat and drink but for now I’ll let you two rest,” she turned and jumped down from the bed with a thud. Blake was frozen and could only watch as the she made her way to the door.

“Wait,” Blake called out, winching at the sound of her own voice slightly strained from exhaustion. Without hesitation the cat turned and padded back over to the side of the bed. Blake watched her disappear from view before her blonde head peaked over the edge of the bed, the large cat standing on her hind legs with her front paws leaning on the bedframe. The fluff of a head tilted her head in inquiry

“May I have the name of our hero so that I can properly thank you?” Though whispered, Blake felt her question echo in the room. It had been the first time since meeting this cat that Blake gave her any emotion besides being standoffish, hesitant, and defensively angry.

The large cat chuckled lightly, the sound rousing a stirring feeling in Blake’s chest, “I’m Yang, but there’s no need to thank me, really. I’m just glad I was there.”

 Blake hummed a response, her eyes softening. “Yang…” she tested the name on her tongue.

“And what…” Yang fidgeted on her back paws, searching for the right words, “what might your name be?”

“My name is Blake.”

“…Blake...” Yang purred, her tail waving aloofly behind her, “that’s a beautif- GREAT it’s a great name. That’s a great name you have.”

Blake felt her face heat as she giggled at the spluttering blonde whose ears were now back in embarrassment and her face buried in the side of the mattress to hide her shame, “Thank you, your name is very nice as well.” 

Yang lifted her head at that and met her gaze, a sheepish look adorning her features. Blake found herself sinking into her lilac orbs that radiated so warmth, exuberance, and sincerity. It had been such a long time that she interacted with someone other than Weiss and an even longer time since she had opened up and trusted someone so quickly after meeting them. Deep down the idea frightened her. Past scars ached, her head screaming for her to raise those solid walls and protect herself, reminding her of what had happened the last time a charming cat had appeared and gain her trust so swiftly. But another part of her took her ease to trust Yang as a sign. Maybe she could finally move past her insecurities and worries and let others into her life. To help her, to support her, to rebuild her self-confidence, to grow. Maybe it was time…

“Well Blake, I hope you and the kid have a good night’s rest. Give me a holler if you need anything, okay?”

Blake nodded, “Yes, thank you Yang.”

“No problem,” Yang smiled, dropping down to all four paws and making her way toward the door with amber eyes following her as she went. She paused at the door mid stride and looked back, “Goodnight Blake.”

Blake whispered back, “Goodnight,” and watched the bushy blonde tail disappear through the door. Though she wanted to think more about the interaction she had just had, Blake could not hold back any longer against the will of her tired body. With a sigh, she nuzzled against Shroud’s tiny body and licked the remaining dirt from his downy coat. Her heart fluttered as she heard him purr softly in his sleep, thankful that he was warm and comfortable enough to elicit such a noise. Curling more into him, she rested her head on the bed next to his, tucked her tail closer to them, and finally succumbed to the absolute exhaustion, lulled by the scent of sunshine and cool breezes.

 

 

* * *

 

 

 Shroud yawned and stretched his front paws as he woke. A growing purr left his throat as he was engulfed in the familiar warmth of his mother. Looking over, he saw his Momma’s slumbering form beside him, listening to the rhythmic sounds of her soft breaths. He paused as he registered a concoction of unfamiliar smells invading his nose, causing it to twitch. Where were they? He glanced around the room, illuminated by the little amount of sunlight that escaped passed the storming sky. This wasn’t his home! Thinking back to last night, Shroud couldn’t remember when he had fall asleep. He could recall being very cold and tired, hiding behind his Momma as a scary cat growled at them. The rest was too blurry.

A rumble from his stomach startled him, reminding him that he hadn’t eaten for over a day. Maybe he could find some food and explore this new environment. Careful not to wake his Momma, Shroud wiggled out and meticulously stepped over her tail, watching her face for any signs of waking before tip toeing to the edge of the bed and hopping down. Upon landing, Shroud almost yelped out loud having forgotten about his injured paw. The pain had dulled since last night but now it just ached to the touch. More mindful of his paw, Shroud limped towards the slightly ajar door and slipped into the hallway.

Shroud’s curiosity ran rampant as he took in his new surroundings, seeing multiple doors throughout the hall that he assumed led to other rooms. And the smells! There were so many! There had to be so many cats living here! Shroud’s ear flicked at the sound of a few muffled voices from downstairs. His senses on overdrive and curiosity peaked, Shroud followed the voices and came to the top of the stairs. He looked down at them, wondering if he should go down and peak through the railings. Momma always cautioned him to be careful on the stairs at home but he thought he was pretty good at using them by now. He didn’t need Momma’s help anymore.

With his good front paw, Shroud stepped down to the next step, tensing as the wood creaked under him. When he tried to drop down onto the second step, his hind leg snagged on a raised nail head, causing him to call out in alarm. He squeezed his eyes shut, anticipating the pain of tumbling down the stairs.

After a moment and no pain, he opened one eye and saw himself dangling above the stairs. He could feel teeth holding him by the scruff of his neck.

“Whoa there tiger!” He felt the hot breath of the muffled voice against his neck. His rescuer turned and carried him away from the stairs before placing him gently on the carpet runner that ran through the hall.

Shroud turned and looked up to meet the eyes of a huge blonde cat, marveled, “Whoa…”

“Are you okay there little buddy? You gotta be careful on those stairs,” The cat explained as she sat down.

“I’m okay, I’m sorry,” Shroud squeaked shyly. He hadn’t met many cats in his life and this stranger was definitely intimidating to the little tyke.  

The cat let out a breathy laugh, “Aw it’s okay kid; I fell down those stairs last week!”

“You did?” Shroud asked incredulously with a tilt of his head. How could this full grown cat make such a silly mistake?

“Oh yeah! Tumbled all the way down. But don’t worry I gave those stairs a good talking to. I think they learned their lesson,” she said with a wink.

Shroud laughed, warming up to the stranger. “You’re funny! My name’s Shroud; it’s nice to- to meet you!” He recited, trying to remember what his Momma taught him to say if he were to meet someone new, “What’s yours?”

“I’m Yang, nice to meet you too, kid,” she responded, smiling at Shroud’s cuteness. A rumble from the young kit’s stomach interrupted their conversation. Shroud looked up at her sheepishly with his ears back in embarrassment.

“Hey do you want me to grab you something to eat?”

Shroud shook his head, “No, thank you. I should wait for my Momma to wake up; we always eat together at home.”

“Your home?” This peaked Yang’s attention and she gave him a once over, her eyes stopping at the yellow collar around his neck, “Oh you guys are house cats. Do you know where you live?”

“No… but I think my collar says it,” Shroud said, trying and failing to look at his collar, causing him to comically spin in a circle.

Yang visibly winced, “Eh…well you see-“

“But Momma knows where we live!”

The Maine coon gave a sigh in relief, “Oh good that’s great. But how’d you get so far from home, kid?”

From the deep breath that the young kit drew, Yang knew she was in for quite the story.

 

* * *

 

 

Blake woke to the sound of the plinking of pelting rain upon the windowpane and a distant, muffled giggle. She forgot where she was for a brief moment before remembering last night. The rest she received was much needed, though her muscles still ached and her body was practically begging for food. She knew Shroud must be-

Shroud!

The absence of his little form against her sent Blake into sheer panic mode. Where could he have gone now?

“Shroud?” She got up from her spot on the bed and looked around the room but saw no sign of him. She sprinted across the room and was just about ready to barge through every room in this house to find him when she heard her son’s voice echoing from hall. She couldn’t quite hear what he was saying but she could hear that he wasn’t alone. Another voice would cut in every now and then with a few short words before Shroud would start again. Blake slipped through the door’s opening and was met with an empty hallway. Following the voices down the hall, she stopped two doors down and poked her head in to quite a sight.

Shroud was in the middle of the room acting out what looked like was his account of what happened the previous day while Yang laid on the floor in front of him, her front paws crossed in front of her and her ears forward and at attention, listening intently to the animated reenactment. Blake didn’t notice the soft purr she felt building in her throat. Her son had been through many hardships and yet here he was, acting like his normal energetic and happy self with a complete stranger. Then her thoughts turned to Yang, who continued to listen to her son. It warmed her heart to know that not all strays were like _him._

She remained undetected by the other two cats and listened in to their conversation.

“And then he said ‘GO AWAY, GET’ and I ran away because I was kinda of scared but if my paw didn’t hurt so bad I would have gave him one of these,” Shroud declared as he swiped aggressively at the air in front of him.

“I don’t know tiger that guy sounded like dynamite! I wouldn’t have messed around with him.”

“And that wouldn’t be very gentlemanly,” Blake interjected, making her presence known as she walked into the room.

Shroud excitedly ran to her, “Momma!”

Blake purred as Shroud weaved through her legs and brushed his body against hers, nudging her head lovingly against his when stopped in front of her, “Good morning my darling.”

“Momma look look! I made a friend! Her name is Yang.”

Blake watched him bound over to the blonde cat, who lifted herself into a sitting position. She could feel herself smirk, “Yes I believe we’ve met last night.”

“Good morning Blake! Were you both comfortable enough last night?”

“Yes very, thank you. I don’t know how I could repay you.”

“No need for that at all!” Yang insisted, trying to hold back a laugh as she felt Shroud batting at her swishing tail before turning serious, “Like I said I’m just glad I got there before that guy could do anything.”

Shroud stopped his playing for a moment, letting the tail to escape his grasp. A memory flashed before his eyes of the monster that chased him away from home and threatened him and his Momma in the alleyway. But someone saved them… who?

“Oh! You weren’t hurt were you? I didn’t even think to ask, I’m sorry!” Blake asked, thinking back to the violent scuffle. Fennec had been roughed up quite a bit but Yang appeared almost unscathed. Blake’s eyes quickly screened the other cat for any injuries.

Yang shook her head and gloated, “Nah, I’m used to being in scraps like that. I usually come out of them without a scratch on me.” She shrugged her shoulders, “When you’ve been on the streets so long you gotta learn to roll with the punches, ya know?”

“Wait a minute!” Shroud spoke up, “You’re the cat that saved us from that bad guy!”

“That’s right, dear,” Blake affirmed his suspicion, “She was very brave.”

“You were so cool! You were like wham!” He reenacted what he saw the Maine coon do last night, leaping at an invisible foe and rolling around, scratching and kicking, “And kicked his butt and he went crying home!”

“Shroud…” Blake began, trying to settle him down.

Yang could only laugh, “No it’s okay!” She turned to the energetic kit, “Yeah he really needed to be taught a lesson. My gang and I find a lot of bad guys every now and then we are pretty good at keeping them in check.”

Shroud ears perked and his eyes lit up, “Your gang! Are you an alley cat?”

“Yup, been one all my life,” Yang responded, her chest puffing in pride. Blake had assumed that she might be; a random house cat wouldn’t be wandering around the streets during a stormy night and they certainly wouldn’t be able to fend off a White Fang member with such ease.

“Whoa! Is this where you all live? I can smell lots of people!”

Yang chuckled at the kit’s fascination and eagerness for knowledge, “Bingo, kid. My buddies and I all live here. We take care of each other but we can do what we want, when we want; free as birds you know? Never know what the day will bring.”

Shroud gasped, “Wait do you know Xiao Long?”

“Yeah you’re kinda looking at her kid,” Yang mused with a wink, swishing her tail behind her.

Shroud’s bottom jaw dropped comically and his eyes couldn’t have gotten any wider as his energetic body froze for a few moments before the excitement finally erupted from his baffled form, “Momma she’s the cat that Grandpa was telling me about! She’s the boss of all the alley cats in town! The biggest and strongest cat ever!”

“Aw gee kid you’re gonna make me blush,” Yang smiled, bringing a paw to her muzzle.

“But I’m confused…Grandpa told me you were a tom?”

Yang shrugged nonchalantly, “Yeah a lot of people who don’t know me think just because I’m so big and act tough that I’m a guy but I don’t really correct them and I guess the rumors just travel around. I just let them think what they want; it doesn’t really bother me,” She made a show of shaking her fur, causing it to stick out at all angles, before joking, “I guess all this fluff hides my feminine features, huh?”      

Blake interjected, “I don’t think that at all.” She hadn’t even registered that she had said it out loud but she showed no shame in saying it. It was the truth. Though her size was a tad intimidating at first, the more Blake looked at her the more features stood out to her. Her lively lilac eyes, the warmth of her presence and even the muscle she had seen rippling the night prior underneath her soaked fur, 

Yang looked at her, almost analyzing her for a moment, “Really?”

Blake opened her mouth to answer, feeling her face heating, unsure of what to say. Thankfully Shroud answered before she could make a fool of herself, “Yeah! You’re super pretty! And you look like a um- like those really huge cats with the poofy fur on their head! Um…”

“A lion?”

“Yeah! A lion!”

Yang couldn’t hold back the laugh that exploded from her chest. “Ha! I like you kid!” she meowed as she nudged him gently with a paw.

Though still confused as to why she froze so suddenly, Blake couldn’t help but to be proud of her son, watching him beaming brightly up at his hero. He always knew how to brighten up someone’s day.

Shroud padded up to his mother with that look on his face that Blake recognized as the look he used when he wanted something. “Momma,” he began innocently, hitting her with his best begging eyes, “can Yang teach me some moves? Please? Pretty please?”

Blake looked behind Shroud to the large cat who met her gaze. Though there didn’t seem to be any discomfort in her eyes, Blake knew she couldn’t impose on her. “Well Darling we really should be getting home soon and we can’t take advantage of Yang’s hospitality.”

Shroud’s shoulders slumped and his ears drooped, saddened that he they had to leave his new friend.

“Well I really hate to break it to you, but I don’t think you guys will be going anywhere anytime soon,” Blake looked up to see Yang gesturing with a wave of her feathery tail towards the nearby window, “It’s supposed to downpour for the next few days with severe thunder and lightning. The streets are already flooding from the river and the wind will blow you right over. It wouldn’t be safe at all.”

Blake looked over at the window, watching the rain cascade down the glass. She wanted to bop herself on the head; how could she forget about the damn storm! It was literally raging outside! She sighed in frustration, “I guess you’re right.” She looked down at her son, who was flicking his attention back and forth between herself and Yang. She used a paw to pull him in to her body, not wanting to upset him or have him worry about where they will be in a few hours. “But still, I couldn’t possible ask of you to open up your home to us for so long. You’ve already done so much and I would hate to be a bur-“

“You wouldn’t be a burden at all!” Yang interrupted sincerely. She stood and padded closer to her guests, “There’s no way I can throw you out there! Especially with those creeps crawling around after you,” Yang exclaimed, a low growl bubbling from her chest at the mention of Fennec. She cut it off as soon as it surfaced, not wanting to frighten the mother and son. With a sigh she continued, “And… I know we’ve just met and all but I’ve really enjoyed your guys’ company. Now I won’t force you to make any sort of decision, but I insist that you stay.”

Shroud piped up, clearly excited by the idea, “Momma please can we stay!”

“Listen I’ll even escort you home, make sure you get there all safe and sound,” Yang added, hoping to sweeten the deal.

“You’d do that?” Blake asked incredulously before looking downcast, “I wouldn’t want to waste your time.”

“No it would be my pleasure, really! I wouldn’t be able to sleep at night not knowing if you got home alright.”

“Well do you happen to know where Beacon Heights is?

Lilac eyes widened at the mention of the neighborhood, “Oh you’re from the ritzy part of town! I should have guessed! Yeah I’ve been there once or twice before, not exactly my kind of place but luckily for you guys I know the whole town and the rural districts like the back of my paw.”

Blake looked deep in thought for a moment. In a sense, Yang’s offer was almost perfect. She herself had no idea where they were and trying to find her own way back home would most definitely be a nightmare and would probably take much longer than if she had an expert show her the way. Not to mention the streetwise cat would make the journey much safer. Plus it would be nice to have some protection from any potential harm. Then she considered Shroud. The young kit was looking up at her, waiting eagerly for her response. Blake knew he would love to travel alongside his hero. 

Returning her gaze to the Maine coon, who comically had a similar expectant look on her features as her kit, she smiled, “Yang, if you would be so kind then I would be most grateful if you would do that for us.”

Shroud squealed, unable to contain his excitement as he practically bounced around on his paws between the two cats, “Yes! It’s gonna be so much fun! We can wrestle and play hide and seek! And stay up all night! And…”

Yang and Blake could only laugh as they watched him buzz about. Blake shook her head with a sigh and looked up at Yang sheepishly as the Maine coon moved to sit closer to her, “I’m sorry, he gets a bit too excited sometimes.”

“Oh please this is nothing! You should meet my sister Ruby, they’d be two peas in a pod for sure,” Yang joked with a chuckle, “But it’s nice, we don’t see a lot of kits around here so it’s refreshing from all the sass and sarcasm I get from the gang.” She inclined her head at the enthusiastic kit, still rambling about the fun they’ll have, “And he’s a great kid.”

Blake’s heart swelled, “Thank you that means a lot.”

“Of course! I call things how I see them,” Yang stated matter-of-factly, her ear flicking at the sound of the kit tripping up on his paws.

Blake padded over to him, just making sure that he was okay, “Is your paw still bothering you?” She lifted it gently with her own paw, trying to see if anything physically wrong. She was met with a “uh-huh” in confirmation.

“I have a buddy here that is pretty good at healing up injuries, kind of like the gang’s honorary veterinarian. He can look at his paw and make sure nothing’s seriously wrong if you want?” Yang offered. She felt bad as Shroud physically squirmed at the word veterinarian, but she didn’t want to take any chances.

Blake comforted him by draping her tail around him, “That'd be great actually.”

Yang nodded, “Well how about I rustle up some grub for you guys and afterwards, if you want, you can meet the gang?” She saw a bit of hesitance flash behind Blake’s eyes and made quick to reassure, “Don’t worry, they are all super nice and I know they would love to meet you both. But you definitely don’t have to if you don’t want to.”

“Yeah can we Momma? Please?”

Blake wasn’t opposed to the idea at all; she was actually very interested in meeting Yang’s friends, but she wasn’t going to lie, she did feel a tad apprehensive. But what concerned her more was how she looked. After living with a millionaire’s lifestyle and having Weiss as her best friend, she couldn’t help but be worried about her appearance, especially during a first impression, “Oh but I must look like a complete mess, I didn’t even get all the mud off of me from last night.” She fussed, frantically licking a paw and running it over the fluff of fur on either sides of her cheeks.

Yang shook her head “Are you kidding? We live out here twenty-four seven! Most of these guys don’t even know what a bath is! You’ll be lighting up the room, trust me.”

Blake couldn’t stop a blush from warming her face. Surely she looked like she had just jumped in a mud puddle. She scoffed and gave Yang a bashful look.

“Okay okay” Yang began, “How about I get the food and water ready for you guys downstairs and I’ll come back up and grab you in a few minutes?”

Calculating that it would be a sufficient amount of time to look presentable, Blake affirmed with a nod as before running he tongue over her tail.

Blake felt a lingering stare as she continued to attend to her poor tail. With a flick of her eyes, she caught Yang's gaze who spluttered, clearly embarrassed that she was caught staring, "Uh, yeah, alright I’ll give you some privacy. I’ll be back,” and with that, Yang quickly padded out of the room and went down to the lower floor. Blake kept her eyes on the door, a smirk finding its way on her lips. 

Shroud, unbeknownst of the awkward interaction, looked up at her with stubborn look, “Does this mean I need a bath too?”

 

           

* * *

 

 

            Fennec limped through the tendrils of the underbrush of the insidious woods, growling as a bush limb whipped him hard in the nose. His paws were frozen from the soaking rain and ached from the long distance he had traveled. He trudged through the muddy earth as fast as he could with his injured leg, grumbling curses and yowls when the pain became more intense. Curse that Xiao Long, meddling in affairs that didn’t concern him.

He wasn’t exactly excited to be returning to camp to report his mission, especially coming back empty handed. Adam wasn’t going to be happy. A shiver that was not elicited by the howling wind ran through his drenched body.

Arriving at a wall of thick foliage, briars, and brambles, Fennec squeezed through a small opening and entered the White Fang camp. The canopies of the large creaking trees overhead blocked what little light the obstructed sun emitted, hiding the structures and lurking members in a shroud of darkness. Fennec didn’t need any light to get to where he was going; he lived in this camp for most of his life and everyone knew the one place to avoid. But here he was, waltzing right up to the rock structure that rested on the other side of camp. The rocks were a part of a massive prominence of hard earth that erupted from the ground. No one was allowed to enter. Not without _his_ permission.

Fennec stopped at a large crevice covered by vines and thorns, taking a moment to catch his breath before clearing his throat, “Adam. It’s Fennec.”

“Enter,” A deep voice answered from inside. Fennec sighed silently before pushing through the vines.

Inside was surprisingly spacious but very dark. Fennec could just barely see the outline of Adam laying in a bed of foliage and moss with his head up high and his tail lashing expectantly, his form completely engulfed by the shadows of the cave. Resting next to the throne was a pile of bones mixed with a variety of collars, the faint glint of the clasps and tags catching Fennec’s eye.

“It seems to me that you have failed,” Adam’s voice bounced off the walls rock walls.  

“Adam, the kit was alone on this side of the wall. I chased him down but he got swept away by the river. I tracked him down into town and Blake was with him,” Fennec saw a single blue eye glint in the dark, knowing he caught the leader’s attention.  

He continued, a growl building in is throat, “And I had them! I would have delivered them both here if it weren’t for that brute, Xiao Long!”

“Xiao Long, the alley cat?” Adam asked from the shadows, clearly unamused by the news. Fennec could hear him rising from his spot and walk around, the clacking of claws on the solid ground meeting his ears.

Fennec held his head in shame but still kept his wits about him, ready for anything, “He’s a force to be reckoned with. I fought him the best I could but I couldn’t take him. He has them now, I’m sure of it.”

“So you let him take them away, even further from where they were from us originally?”

“Please understand, sir, there was nothing I coul  -“ Fennec was stopped midsentence as he received a forceful swipe across his muzzle, eliciting a pained yowl from his lips. The force of the hit sent him tumbling to the floor, smacking his head into the nearby wall. With his adrenaline pumping, Fennec glanced up, shaking and his breath heavy as Adam entered the stream of dim light near the entrance of the cave. The Bengal radiated intimidation, his taut muscles rippling under his short striped fur. One blue eye squinted at the injured cat below him. The left half of his face completely hairless, exposing stretched pink skin all the way up to his disfigured left ear. His left eye was almost completely shut but hints of bloodshot red peaked from behind the scarred skin.

Fennec’s ears pinned back and he shrank into himself on the floor, submitting to the dominant cat. Adam growled through his barred teeth, “I don’t need your excuses. What I need is competence.” He turned back and walked off into the darkness. His claws still unsheathed as they clicked and clacked.

“S…Sir?”

“Xiao Long will bring them back home. And once he does, we will continue with the plan. A few adjustments need to be made, but we will cross that bridge when we get to it.”

“Shall I assemble everyone?”

“No,” A simple answer came from the shadows, “I must think about how I want this to play out. I want surveillance on the homes and I expect to be reported immediately when they return.”

Fennec nodded and sat up, “I understand. I apologize, sir.”

“The plan will still be executed, do not worry. Once I get back what is mine, we will all be happier,” Adam mused, a stroke of humor lining his words, “You may leave.”

Fennec nodded and skulked to the cave entrance but was stopped when he reached the vines, “Oh and Fennec?”

“Yes sir?”

“Though you have disappointed me, I will not deny you what you want. You will get your revenge…”

Fennec took a moment to absorb those words. A devious smirk grew on his lips. “Thank you sir,” he bowed before exiting the cave, picturing the sweet sight of Xiao Long’s blood on his claws and hearing him breathe his last breath.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello and thank you for reading! Let me know what you think! Sorry for not a whole lot going on in the chapter but we get some more insight on the alley cats, the White Fang, and some bubbling feelings between Blake and Yang! Also Adam's design is based off of his appearance in the recent volume (you'll find out the cause of his deformed face later) and I know his hair is red but I didn't want to make him a rust colored cat because I wanted a cast of diverse characters (Ruby is already a rust colored Somali so I didn't want any confusion ), each one with their own relevant colors and breeds. Plus have you ever seen a bengal cat? Those things are tough! Follow me on tumblr if you want at huntress-in-wonderland!


	4. Chapter 4

Yang padded up the stairs with a pep in each step. Her ears twitched as she hopped up to the top, picking up muffled voices from a few rooms down the hall. She paused right outside the doorway and internally chided herself; she didn’t _want_ to eavesdrop but the conversation was just so heartwarming, so motherly. It elicited a lingering sense of nostalgia to bubble.

“And remember this is your first time being around so many new people so it’s okay if you’re nervous. I’ll be right there with you so there’s no need to worr-“

“How many cats do you think are down there? Can we go now?”

A soft chuckle followed. “No, not yet. We have to wait for Yang.”

An exaggerated sigh filled the room, “Ok… Momma! I think I’m clean enough!”

Yang hid her snicker with a paw. It was refreshing to have new, positive personalities in the house, especially during times like these. The innate innocence, happiness, and boundless energy of a kit could possibly be one of the most amazing things to witness. It’s almost contagious and made everything else going on fade into the background. Then there was Blake. At a glance anyone could tell she was a well put together individual and an amazing mother but it was blatantly obvious that she was veiled in mystery and her reserved demeanor suggested that there was more to be told. She was a puzzling beauty that was for sure. Yang decided that she would be patient in her quest to get to know her better, hoping that the other she-cat would open up to her.

An annoyed meow brought the Maine coon out of her thoughts. Not wanting to keep the excited kit waiting any longer, Yang rounded the corner and entered the room where she was met with the humorous sight of Shroud trying to shirk away from Blake’s grooming.   

“Do I hear a kit in need of rescuing from a bath?”

“Yang!” Shroud’s eyes lit up as he bounded out of his mother’s reach and over to the larger cat. Yang’s smile grew as she had to move her head from side to side to follow his movements as he energetically wove through her legs. She was careful not to crush him as she sat down on the floor causing the black kitten to stop his skittering. Shroud wriggled his body underneath Yang’s tail, only his little nose and bright yellow eyes peeping out from the fluff. He looked up at her playfully, “Hide me!”

 Yang cocked her head with a laugh before she whispered back, “Kid, you would be awful at hide and seek. And your plan better not get me in trouble with your Mom.”

“Shh! She’s coming!”

 Yang whipped her head around just in time to face Blake, who approached with a knowing look. The scheming duo obviously weren’t very good at whispering. Yang racked her brain to find something to say that wouldn’t sound stupid, “Hello lovely lady!” _Oh way to go, Yang_. “I’m just going about my day, sitting around. Nothing suspicious to see here.”

“Oh? You wouldn’t happen to have seen my son around here, have you?”

_Oh thank god she went along with it and didn’t think I was weird._ Yang looked up in faux contemplation, “Nope I can’t say I have.” Both she-cats pretended to not hear the snickering from behind Yang.

“That’s odd; he was just here a minute ago,” Blake continued, taking slow steps to circle around the blonde as she made a show of looking around the room.

 “Wait a second,” Yang drawled out, following the black cats movements. She felt Shroud tensing under her tail. Glancing back, she saw him peering back at her with a pout, the look in his eyes practically saying ‘ _Don’t you dare!_ “Is your kit black?”

“Why yes,” Blake stopped and answered, “he is.”

“Yellow collar?”

 “Mhhhm.”

“Golden eyes like yours?”

“That’s him.”

Yang looked away, “Nah, I haven’t seen him.”

Blake had to hold back her mirth at the banter before recovering to get back into her role, “Oh, how on Earth am I going to find him?”

“I wish I could help,” Yang shrugged, “but I have to sit here; it’s part of my daily schedule.”

“RAWR!” Shroud pounced out from his hiding spot with a cute growl when his mother got near enough. Both Yang and Blake feigned fright.

“Did I scare you Momma?” Shroud looked up at her expectantly.

Blake licked at the space between his ears. “You definitely did,” she responded.

Yang enjoyed the moment before piping up, “So are you two ready to head downstairs?”

“Yes! Let’s go!” Shroud cheered as he made a clumsy dash for the door.

Yang managed to press a gentle paw on the kit’s tail to stop him from passing her. Shroud’s paws slid along the wooden floor but he didn’t move, looking as if he were running in place. “Woah there tiger, I think you should stay away from the stairs; your Mom should take you down.”

Shroud stopped trying to get away and huffed. He wanted to go! Grownups were so slow.

Yang rose to her paws and joked, “Alright troops let’s head on out.” She led them out of the room and to the top of the stairs where she waited as Blake took a hold of Shroud’s scruff in her mouth before slowly descending the creaking stairs.

As much as she insisted that Shroud shouldn’t be nervous, Blake couldn’t help but feel a bit anxious. The feeling of being in possible danger had long left her mind; at this point Yang had proven herself many times over to be trustworthy and amicable; so Bake could only reason that her friends would be the same. Her nerves were not about the character of these new cats but moreso of how she should conduct herself around them. Social interaction had never been her strong suit; it took practically forever for her to be able to adjust to Weiss. The white she-cat and her parents were the only recent interactions she’s had with cats around her age.

Blake remembered living in a group twice in her life; one familial and liberating while the other vicious and iniquitous. It’d been awhile since she last was in this type of setting and she couldn’t help being a bit suspicious about new groups. Though her past experiences were times she wished to forget, they made her wiser, more prepared. Still, Blake felt conflicted. Her head wanted her to be wary of Yang but there was something about her, something that made Blake bypass her trained and trustworthy instincts and instead allow the humble cat to help them and make them comfortable just out of sheer generosity. With her, fear is taken out of the equation.

The familiar sound of a radio resonated from the room next to the staircase, filling the house with a catchy instrumental melody. Though the raging storm made everything dark and gloomy, the soft tune helped illuminate the interior of the house in a spiritual way. Reaching the bottom floor, Yang led them toward a light filled room from which muffled conversations could be heard from inside.

Upon entering the living room, Blake took in the details of the room that were hidden from her before by the shroud of night. The music cranking out from the phonograph in the corner turned out to be an old tune that Blake recalled Madame Madeline being fond of. The rest of the furniture was just as she recollected; vintage but also looking like it hadn’t been cleaned in a while but that did not seem to discourage the many cats that laid scattered about them.

Four sets of eyes stared back at Blake as she followed Yang further into the room. Two cats rested on the sofa laying side by side while another two were nestled together in an open drawer of a disheveled bureau. A thick silence enveloped the room and the cacophony of the brewing storm and the soft music seemed to grow louder.

Yang came to a stop in the center of the area rug and took a seat. She looked behind her and motioned with her head for Blake to sit beside her. Blake did so and placed Shroud down in between her front paws. He remained silent and leaned back into his mother, finding her presence comforting with all the attention they were getting.

  “Hey cats, I know everyone’s not here but I know a lot of you are eager to meet our guests. This is Blake and her kit Shroud; they’re gonna be staying with us for a few days so I want everyone to treat them like one of our own.”

Yang looked to Blake, offering her the floor to say anything she’d like. The black she-cat cleared her throat before addressing the small gathering, “Thank you for opening up your home to us. I promise we won’t be any trouble.” She nudged Shroud who had been peeking from behind her forelimb at the strangers, “Come on out and say hello.”

Shroud looked up at her nervously. It took another encouraging nudge from his mother for him to have a spark of bravery and shuffle an inch or two away from her. “H-hello! It’s nice to meet you all.”

A gasp from the couch caught the room’s attention, “Oh look how cute!” One of the cats from the sofa hopped down and trotted over to the newcomers with a boisterous purr emanating from her throat. Blake could almost see the cat’s energy glistening in her long orange and white fur like static. She came to a halt in front of Shroud, who looked like he was about to bolt back into the safety of his mother’s body. She lowered her head and chest to the floor with her luxurious, feather-like tail waving in the air in a playful manner, “You are just too adorable! Ren come over here!”

The remaining cat on the sofa came over almost silently “Sorry about her she can get a bit excited,” the black and white tom said smoothly, wrapping his black tail over his paws as he took a seat next to his friend, “I’m Ren and this is Nora, it’s a pleasure to meet you.”

“The pleasure is ours,” Blake responded, brushing her own tail over Shroud’s back comfortingly. The kit calm down and seemed interested in the conversations sparking up around them.

“Nora would you calm down, you’re freaking the kid out,” a she-cat called out from the drawer. She gave a satisfying stretch, eliciting a shiver to wrack her form before leaping out of from her resting place. She was followed by her much lighter companion. The chocolate brown cat padded coolly over to the gathering, “So, you two are the housecats everyone’s been talking about.”

Blake gave an accusatory side-glance to Yang who shrank into herself sheepishly before grumbling, “Oh gee thanks Coco.”

The Havana Brown meowed a laugh but received a nudged from her tawny-furred friend, “Aw come on Velvs let me have some fun.” Coco turned her attention to Shroud, “What’s up little guy?” She offered out her paw to him with the pads of her paw facing up. Shroud looked at it confusingly which caused Coco to laugh. “Hit my paw with yours,” she instructed.

Shroud did so, albeit a bit awkwardly but it was still pretty cute for everyone to watch. His initial shyness gradually started to melt away, “I like your name! My Madame likes to make coco when it gets cold out. It smells really good but Momma and I aren’t allowed to have any…”

Coco cocked her head and smiled, her brown gradient tail swishing against the floor in delight, “Hey, this kid’s alright in my book.”

“Yeah just what she needed, more fuel for her ego,” Yang leaned in and whispered to close to Blake’s ear. The Maine coon prided herself on getting a stifled burst of laughter from Blake. She straightened before formally introducing everyone, “Blake, Shroud, this is Nora and her mate Ren,” she gestured with a paw to each of them, “and Coco and Velvet, also mates. They make up two out of the three couples in the house; the rest of us are just sad singles.”

Coco rolled her eyes at her friend’s exaggeration, “Oh please save us the pity party.”

While Yang and Coco began to exchange low blows at each other, Velvet approached Blake and butted heads with her in greeting, “Hello!” Velvets nose twitched, picking up Blake’s scent, “What neighborhood are you from? You don’t seem to be from around here.”

“No we are from Beacon Heights, it’s quite far away apparently.”

Velvet ears perked up, “Oh I know where that is! I used to live across the river from there!”

“Really?”

“Yup! My old home had quite a nice view of the homes, they are all so big!”

A gasp from behind Velvet brought the room to attention. Knowing the owner of the voice, Blake peered around her the small tan she-cat swiftly only to find Shroud staring at the small nub that was Velvet’s tail with wide eyes.

“What happened to your tail?”

“Shroud!” Blake rushed over to her kit, her ears folded against her head in embarrassment. She looked to Velvet apologetically, “I am so sorry, he hasn’t been around many other people. I-“

Velvet stopped her, “Oh, no, no it’s completely okay! He’s a kit, they’re curious.”

“Shroud honey you cannot be so blatant about other people, it’s impolite,” Blake reprimanded softly. Shroud hung his head in guilt and met his mother’s gaze with large eyes.          

“I’m sorry, Momma. I’m sorry Velvet!”

Velvet felt bad for the little guy. She scrunched down to his level, “It’s okay I know you didn’t mean anything by it. But to answer your question, I was born like this. My mother had a tail like me too; it’s a trademark of my breed.”

Shroud nodded, “Oh, that’s cool! I’ve never met someone with a tail like yours. Momma says that everyone is special in our own way so your tail makes you special!”

“Your Momma is right kid,” Yang chimed in.

“Do you ever wish you had a tail?” Shroud asked the American bobtail.

“Well I don’t know,” Velvet contemplated for a moment, “I got picked on by others when I was a kit when I lived with my human so back then I wished I was like everyone else. But now I don’t mind not having one. It hasn’t made my life any different. Besides, I don’t have to worry about getting it dirty or someone stepping on it.”

Shroud giggled and nodded enthusiastically in understanding, “When I sleep I always tuck nose in my tail because I get cold so I think I’d miss my tail.”

“Don’t worry I have enough tail to go around to keep her warm at night,” Coco purred as she slid in next to her mate, draping her tail over her shoulders with a wink. Velvet could only sigh and roll her eyes; she was used to Coco’s antics at this point. 

“Aw gross Coco, there’s a kit here!” Yang chided. Leave it to Coco to make a sweet moment go south.

“What did Coco do this time?”

Blake turned toward the the window entrance above the sofa where she heard the new voice to see a dark russet-furred cat trotting in followed closely behind by a much larger darker cat who was carrying a small bucket filled with a white liquid.

Yang meowed a greeting to the boys as they shook the rain from their fur, “Oh finally the boys are back! Blake I’d like you to meet Yatsuhashi and Fox.”

The solidly built Burmese placed the pail down and bowed his head to her, “Please call me Yatsu; it’s nice to meet you.”

Fox only grunted softly but Blake didn’t make too much of it and returned the salutations. Shroud on the other hand was marveled by how large the one new cat was. He was even bigger than Yang! Yatsu noticed the young kit’s scrutiny and smiled at him before laying down, his black silky coat catching a small amount of light to show hints of brown. Shroud shifted his attention to the leaner cat beside Yatsu. His russet fur was interrupted in random spaces by crisscrossed scars, the most prominent one running straight down starting from the right of his nose and terminating underneath his bottom jaw. Shroud did not linger too long on the many scars. His attention was instead caught on the tom’s eyes; unmoving orbs of milky white. Fox’s stance was firm and motionless but his maw was open slightly, taking deep breaths while his ears flicked at every sound in the room.

Shroud’s managed to hold back his curiosity, remembering what his Momma had said about asking personal questions about people’s appearances. Fox’s eyes suddenly looked eerily at him.

“You can ask.”

The black kit snapped out of his trance by Fox’s voice, “Huh?”

“My eyes. They are like this because I am blind which means I can’t see,” Fox explained slowly, “I sensed your apprehension; I don’t want to scare you or anything.”

“Oh! You’re not scary. But can I ask you a question?”

Fox nodded as he took a seat.

“How did you know you that you weren’t gonna walk into anything?”

“Shroud…” Blake began but was stopped by Yang who gave her a light brush with her tail.

“Well, I learned how to get around without my sight when I was very young, even younger than you I’m guessing. I can feel everyone’s movements through vibrations on the floor. See?” Fox tapped his front paw on the hardwood floor. Shroud gasped as he felt this action through his own paws. “I can also smell everyone in this room and I have to be aware of every sound so I know generally where everyone is,” he continued, swiveling his ears around, “but both of those aren’t very helpful with non-living things. I have to be familiar with my surroundings or I’ll move a little slower and allow my whiskers to do the work for me. Basically I have to use all my other senses to make up for my lack of vision.”

“Wow! That’s amazing!” Shroud piped up, excitingly jumping in place, “You must be really good at hunting! My grandpa says you have to use all your senses to be a good hunter!”

Fox let a smile slip onto his features, “Well I try my best but we usually leave the hunting to-“

“Did someone say hunting? Because your boys are back with breakfast!” A boisterous cheer declared as a flash of pale blonde and grey jumped through the window before skidding across the carpet in an energetic display. Blake hurriedly pulled Shroud by his scruff out of the way, not that he was going to get trampled but just as a precaution.  The spontaneous duo each had mice dangling in their mouths by the dead creatures’ tails.

“Oh thank god I am starving!” Nora moaned from her spot on the floor, rolling onto her back to kick her paws in the air.

Coco paused grooming her paw, “Yeah, what took you guys so long?”

“Hey you can’t rush perfection!” the sleek blonde tom dropped the mice to the floor and batted one towards Ren, who caught his breakfast with ease and nudged it in front of Nora, and another that landed in front of Velvet. The couples shared their breakfast contently but kept their attention on the center of the room.

“Actually, it’s more like its pouring outside and nothing wants to be out in the rain…” The Russian blue grumbled as he shook out a bunch of rain from his blue-grey fur, sending droplets flying throughout the room, “Including me.”

 “But don’t worry ladies and gents, Sun and Neptune powered through to deliver a hearty breakfast,” the blonde tom gloated as he gave a mouse to Fox and Yatsu, “But it was not without a decent fight.”

“Oh please enlighten us on today’s venture…”

“Well let me set the scene…” Blake rolled her eyes. She hadn’t even met the guy and she already felt a tad put off by his personality. At her paws, Shroud leaned forward with wide eyes, practically buzzing in anticipation to hear the alley cat’s story. He loved stories! Momma always told him the best one’s each night to help him fall asleep. And now he’s getting a story from an alley cat?! It had to be the best!

Sun began dramatically, “The rain was pelting down. I was soaked to the bone, shivering uncontrollably. I had to look behind me to make sure my dear buddy Neptune was still alive.”

“Unfortunately I was,” Neptune drawled out, shaking his paws sporadically to remove any remaining water that clung to his fur. 

“We were in the field, crouched in the mud, practically sinking into it. We have been out there for hours-

“Hours?” Ren asked incredulously, knowing full well the hunting party went out less than an hour and a half ago.

“Yes hours! And we knew we couldn’t go back empty handed, not when so many of you were depending on us.”

Blake’s ear twitched as Yang’s soft breath sent a shiver down her spine, “Bear with him; Sun can be a bit much.”

She tilted her head back to whisper back, “I can see that.”

Yang huffed a quiet laugh before the blonde and black duo refocused on the story.

 “…and suddenly, I heard rustling in a nearby bush,” he jumped into a crouch and stalked forward, “I stalked closer and closer until I could see just the shadow of the creature. But this was no mouse. It was massive, but there was no going back now. The beast lashed out at me from the bush with its razor sharp claws and snarled a deafening roar. But I lunged!” He emphasized, springing out with a growl, “And scared that monster right up the tree!” Sun declared, sitting down triumphantly with his chest puffed up. It was quite a show that was for sure; but Yang could see him showing off a bit more than usual… and was that a side glance to Blake!? She narrowed her lilac eyes just slightly, her whiskers twitching in annoyance.

“It was a raccoon and Sun screamed like a kit and ran away. Probably scared everything in the field back into their burrows and we had to move to a different hunting spot.”

“Neptune!”

“Hey, I’m not letting you make up this crazy story when I’m the one who did most of the work!”

“You’re just grumpy because you hate being wet!”

“Dude-!”

Sun leapt at his friend and they began lightly tussling on the floor; nothing malicious, but more like play fighting as their half-meant growls evolved into “Aha’s!” and snide remarks.

Blake caught Ren’s eye roll from across the carpet, “Don’t worry, they do this almost daily.”

All in attendance just let the duo wrestle and roll around the room in a blonde and blue-grey ball until a tiny voice squeaked out over the scuffle.

 “That wasn’t a very good story.”

All eyes went to Shroud as all the cats burst into fits of laughter. Shroud had expected to be reprimanded by his Momma and ducked his head in preparation. After a moment, he peeked up with one eye and saw his mother trying to suppress a laugh. Yang on the other hand didn’t care at all, letting out a resounding chortle, “Kid, you really are the best.” She sighed to get a handle on herself, “Okay boys come over and meet our guests; this is Blake and her kit Shroud. Blake, this is the infamous Sun and Neptune.”

Sun swiftly trotted over and gave Blake a showy bow, “Well hello! I gotta say you’re one tough cookie, taking on a White Fang member on your own like you did.” Blake wanted to scoff. If only he knew who he was talking to, but she didn’t want to divulge. Not yet at least.

“And you are quite… imaginative. Looks like you need to work on your storytelling if you can’t fool a kit.”

 Sun laughed nervously, thinking he might be a tad bit rusty with his charm. He looked to the kit at his mother’s side, “And you must be the brave little guy Yang was telling us all about.”

Shroud tilted his head at the lanky blonde cat, “You should listen to one of Momma’s stories. Her’s are the bestest!”

 “I’m sure they are; I would love to hear one of her stories!” Sun looked to Blake amicably, his blue eyes shining in sincerity.

Yang interjected, “Yeah well you’re gonna have to wait in line pal, I’ve been hearing about these stories for the past day and I’m dying to hear one.”

“Here you go boss,” Neptune approached and dropped a mouse at the Maine coon’s paws, but Yang immediately picked it up and placed it in front of Blake.

“Here you guys have mine and be the first to have some of the milk that Yatsu and Fox carried over from the barn,” she gestured over to the bucket, “Neptune, can you give that other mouse to Pyrrha?”

“You got it,” the Russian blue said before he scooped up the last mouse and strode into the next room.

Confused, Blake cocked her head at Yang in inquiry, “Pyrrha?”

Yang nodded, “Yup, she’s one of our best cats. She just had the gang’s first set of kits so she’s sort of out of commission right now but you will meet her a little later. She can’t wait to meet you; she wants to ask you tons of questions about raising kits.”

“I would be honored,” Blake replied. She remembered wishing that she had someone to guide her when she first had Shroud. It was a stressful and tumultuous time in her life, but it was also pivotal. It was the point in which she made necessary changes to give her kit the best life he could have.

Blake glanced down at her son, who was thoroughly entertained by pawing at the mouse carcass in front of him, “Look Momma, it’s a mouse!”

“Darling don’t play with your food.”

“Food?” Shroud asked incredulously. He gave it a sniff and made a face, “This isn’t what we eat.”

Blake sighed, knowing this would be a problem, “It’s not what we are used to but it’s what a lot of cats like to eat.”

“Really?”

“Yes, in fact Grandpa and Grandma eat mice and many other small animals in the woods. They don’t have the food that Madame Madeline gives us.”

“So you used to eat them too?”

“That’s right. I haven’t had a mouse in quite some time. I’m excited.”

Sun butted in, waving his long slim tail confidently, “I can guarantee that that mouse is the best one around; caught by yours truly.”

“So everyone eats mouses?” Shroud glanced around at all the alley cats who were enjoying their breakfast.

“Mice, dear,” Blake corrected softly.

“Yeah kid, I’ve eaten mice since I was a kit and I’m all big and strong now!” Yang explained as she struck a heroic pose in a strong stance with her tail high and head up. She gave Blake a wink; she’s got her back.

Shroud still looked conflicted as he looked at his potential breakfast. Blake didn’t want to force him to eat but her son hasn’t had anything substantial for almost an entire day so she was eager to get him to eat _something_. She also didn’t want to look ungrateful amongst these cats who work hard each day to catch their food.

“Here,” Blake took the mouse into her mouth and tore a piece of it open, “just try a little of it. You never know, you might really like it!”

Shroud reluctantly did so. Yang and Blake watched him take small bites before he pulled back with a small grimace on his muzzle, “I don’t like it Momma.”

Blake sighed softly. She leaned in a licked the remnants of blood from her kit’s face, “It’s okay you don’t have to eat it.” She looked to Yang, who met her gaze with a sympathetic smile, “I was thinking this might happen.”

“I’m sorry, I really appreciate you all giving us this food. He’ll be fine with the milk for right now. But I’ll eat this.”

“No it’s not a problem! Like I said I had a feeling he’s never had a mouse before; so I have my best cat out there grabbing something a little special.”

Blake wondered what she meant as Yang led her and Shroud over to the milk pail which one of the cats had tilted and poured into generous portions into separate bowls. The large cat gestured for Shroud to dig in and the young kit almost jumped for joy. He picked a bowl and began to lap furiously at the liquid, noting how refreshing and delicious it was. It tasted like the kind from home! A resounding purr filled the room, intermittently halted by Shroud’s gluttonous swallowing, eliciting a few chuckles from some cats.

Blake simply watched happily as he filled his belly. She shifted her gaze to Yang who looked proudly upon the satisfied kit with a soft smirk on her features, the end of her fluffy tail flicking contently behind her. Warmth overflowed within Blake’s chest.

The silent moment was interrupted by a quiet “PSST!” coming from the window. Fox was the first to whip his head toward the sound, but he must have recognized the voice since he did not appear alarmed. Yang was the second. As soon as she saw the cat crouching outside the window, she hopped up on the couch and they exchanged a few hushed words. The new cat hopped down from the windowsill and onto the sofa, where she shook out her long, russet fur.

Yang shoved one of the couch pillows to the floor before jumping down and hiding something underneath it, “Hey Blake come over here, I’d like you to meet my little sister Ruby!”

Blake analyzed the two with an inquisitive look. The two were vastly different in size; Yang was just so large and Ruby looked just a tad smaller than herself. Their fur colors were also abstractly different and their eyes - lilac and silver respectively - couldn’t be more dissimilar. The only thing that made them remotely similar was the fact that they were both long-hairs. They certainly couldn’t be of the same breed.

Sensing the black she-cat’s confusion, Yang asked jokingly, “Aw what you can’t see the similarity?” She pushed her face next to Ruby’s which provoked a scoff from the red Somali, “Yang quit it!” She pushed her sister away.

Yang laughed boisterously before explaining, “We aren’t related by blood but her mom practically raised me. Now I’m stuck with her as my second in command. If I’m not around go right to Ruby and she’ll help you out.”

“Hello! It’s nice to finally put a face to the name after how much Yang talked about you last night,” Ruby knew the comment would embarrass her sister in a form of payback, “ I hope you guys have been comfortable?”

“It’s a pleasure and yes we are very lucky; Yang and everyone have made sure we’ve been very comfortable, thank you.” Blake affirmed kindly, allowing Yang to recover from her sister’s jibe and puff out her chest a bit.

Yang fiddled with the pillow that hid her surprise, giving Blake a wink before calling out to Shroud, “Hey kid, come here! I wanna show you a magic trick!”

“Magic?” Shroud asked as he lifted his face from the milk, his black fur contrasting against the white that covered his muzzle, “You have magic?”

“Yup indeed.”

Shroud gasped as he waddled over to his mother, who instinctively licked the mess from his face, “Do you think she has magic like that lady from your story, Momma?”

Blake shrugged, “Maybe, there’s only one way to find out!”

“Alrighty! Let’s get this started.” Yang shuffled over to the discarded mouse and brought it back over to her small audience, “Okay, so this is how it’s gonna work: I’m going to use my magic to turn this mouse into a delicious can of tuna!”

A gasp escaped from the kit, “No way!”

“Yes! Now in order for the magic to work, I need you to close your eyes and when I say go, spin around three times. When you’re done, you’ll open your eyes and see a yummy treat!”

“Okay, okay I’m ready!”

“Alright let’s do it then! Close your eyes!” Yang instructed. Shroud did so, his body practically buzzing with excitement, “Are you ready?”

The young kit nodded fervently.

“Read… go!” At Yang’s command, Shroud began to spin. Blake watched amusedly as Yang quietly and swiftly swiped the mouse behind her and noiselessly took the can of opened tuna from underneath the pillow and slid it in front of the kit just in time for his last spin.

“Okay, now open your eyes.” Shroud peeped open one eye and saw the delicious food in front of him.

“Wow! Momma look! She did it!”

“I see! That was amazing!” Blake played along.

“Well what are you waiting for kid?” Yang asked, “Dig in!”

Shroud didn’t need to be told twice and he dove right into the can of tuna. Blake was beyond relieved that Shroud finally got something hardy into his stomach but she couldn’t help but feel a nagging question in the back of her mind.

“Where did you get the can tuna from?” she whispered to prevent Shroud from hearing it.

Ruby began to explain but was stopped by Yang’s tail in her face, “We should probably get into that later. It’s a long story; which reminds me,” she turned to the rest of the room’s inhabitants, “Hey cats, I wanna hold a meeting later tonight to talk about the Fang. Everyone report here at sundown” All the cats nodded.

 Yang turned back to Blake and took on a more serious tone, “Would you mind being there? I know I don’t know the extent of what happened last night but we could use all the knowledge we can get to try and fix some of the stuff that’s been going on. We can even have Pyrrha watch the kid so he doesn’t have to hear anything?”

Blake contemplated for a moment. She knew if she were to agree her past was going to come to light and judging from the room’s reaction to the White Fang’s name, there was no shortage of hatred for the Fang; she didn’t know how they would react when they knew the truth. How would _Yang_ feel when she knew?

“Of course,” Blake decided at last. She could not dwell on the uncertainties when there was an obvious problem afflicting the alley cats.

“Great!” She said as she reached behind her and placed the mouse in front of Blake, “Now, please eat! You gotta fill me in on when you first had a mouse!” The Maine coon plopped down in front of her and placed her head on her paws.

Blake laughed, her face heating a bit as she began to eat something for the first time in a entire day. As she bit into the mouse, her taste buds triggered a series of memories to flash in her mind, memories of when she hunted in the dense woods with her parents and friends, enjoying the freedom of life and the fruitful bounty that it provided. She almost moaned at the flavor. Having been eating fancy domestic cat foods for such a long time, she had almost forgotten how real prey tasted.

Pausing to enjoy her meal, Blake’s eyes roamed throughout the room. She rolled her eyes at how her son happily scarfed down the tuna. The rest of the cats had returned to their lounging spots: Ren and Nora pressed comfortingly against each other on the couch while Coco and Velvet went back into the open drawer, snuggled up against each other, the soft snores indicating that they had fallen into a nice cat nap. Sun and Neptune were lounging on the grand piano, relaxing after their adventurous hunt. And Ruby joined Fox and Yatsu at the milk bowls, conversing quietly as they enjoyed refreshing drink.

They all looked contented. Free. Blake knew then, looking around at these new faces, that this was a different type of group. It was a group, but it was better. It was a family.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello I hope you enjoyed the chapter, tell me what you think! I am so sorry for the wait; college is very hectic this time of year.  
> This chapter had a lot of introductions, I know, but I felt it necessary so that we can delve further into the alley cats' world. I had a general idea of the cat breeds for some of the new characters like Nora being a white and orange Norwegian forest cat, Coco a Havana Brown, Velvet a tawny american bobtail, Yatsu a big, solid Burmese, and Neptune a Russian blue. I wanted to make Ren a black and white oriental cat but I was on the fence because they are typically very slender and skinny and I didn't really know if it fit but we'll see. But for the rest of the cats I didn't really specify breeds, I mean a lot of strays are mixed anyway.  
> I digress; I hope you enjoyed and stay tuned for next chapter, which I hope comes out sooner than this one did.  
> Follow me on tumblr: huntress-in-wonderland


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